Abuse survivor Grace Tame named Australian of the Year
A 26-year-old woman who pushed for legal changes so she could speak out about being a survivor of sexual abuse has been named Australian of the Year for her advocacy work on behalf of abuse survivors
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A 26-year-old woman who pushed for legal changes so she could speak out about being a survivor of sexual abuse has been named Australian of the Year for her advocacy work on behalf of abuse survivors.
Grace Tame was presented with the award at a ceremony in Canberra on Monday.
Tame became the first woman in Tasmania state to win the right to publicly name herself as a sexual abuse survivor, allowing her to speak about the abuse she went through as a 15-year-old at the hands of a math teacher.
Prior to her legal victory, Tame was barred from speaking publicly about the crimes in which she was a victim while her abuser — who was jailed — was legally able to tell his story. Such laws were often designed to protect victims of assault by keeping their identities secret but didn’t account for those who wanted to speak out.
Tame said she was dedicating the award to all survivors of child sexual abuse.
“This is for us,” she said.
After advocacy from Tame and Nina Funnell, who started the campaign #Let Her Speak, Tasmania’s laws preventing survivors from speaking out were overturned.
“I remember him towering over me, blocking the door. I remember him saying ‘Don’t tell anybody.' I remember him saying ‘Don’t make a sound,'" Tame said.
“Well hear me now — using my voice against a growing chorus of voices that will not be silenced.”
Tame said she wants a greater focus on education and prevention of child sexual assault. She said grooming and psychological manipulation by abusers is a big problem.
“They thrive when we fight amongst ourselves and weaponize all our vulnerabilities,” Tame said. “This year and beyond, my focus is on empowering survivors and education as a primary means of prevention.”
Other top awards went to three other women.
Aboriginal elder Miriam-Rose Ungunmerr-Baumann was named Senior Australian of the Year. The 73-year-old activist, educator and artist became Northern Territory state's first qualified Aboriginal teacher in 1975.
Kenyan refugee Rosemary Kariuki was named Australia’s Local Hero for her work helping female migrants combat loneliness and the unknown as they settle into their new communities.
And the title of Young Australian of the Year went to Adelaide student and social entrepreneur Isobel Marshall, who co-founded a menstrual product company TABOO in high school, with the goal of reducing stigma around periods and helping women access products.